Jaina Monuments of Andhra

Author(s): G Jawaharlal
Publisher: Sharada Publishing House Delhi

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Jaina Monuments of Andhra
Tirthankara). As a matter of fact, it appears as an exaggeration, but perhaps it may be intended to suggest the hoary antiquity of SitaJinalaya.
From the above, it becomes clear that the powerful VelanatiGonka I had leanings towards Svetambara Jainism and Munugodu became a flourishing Svetambara Jaina Centre during his period (i.e. 12th century A.D.)
From epigraphical evidences we learn that Srisailam was also a Jaina centre during the 15th century A.D. During that period, ruthless persecution of the Jains by Virasaivities took place as revealed by a record dated A.D. 1512 from Srisailam. It informs that a certain Virasaiva chief named Linga, son of Santa took pride in cutting off the heads of Svetambara Jains. History also records that such type of persecution continued even during the Vijayanagara period at Srisailam. After capturing the fortress of Kondavidu from the Gajapatis, Srikrishnadevaraya visited Srisailam in A.D. 1516. At that time, a ViraSaiva bigot killed a number of (Svetambara) Jains on the hill, as sacrifice to the deity. Srikrishnadevaraya the Great, who is known to have extended patronage to all faiths equally, could not allow this carnage and sent his subordinate chief Velugoti-Gani-Timmarayudu' to stop it.
Thus it appears that there is no reference to the Svetambara Jains in Andhra before the medieval period. To my mind, it appears that the kings and their subordinate chiefs simply patronised Jainism not minding its sectoral differences. They did not see any difference between the Digambaras and Svetambaras while patronising Jainism. This attitude was perhaps the reason for the paucity of records, pertaining to Svetambara Jainism in the early period. Gradually their attitude changed and thence began appearing the name of the sect in Jainism in their records during the medieval period. That may be the reason to refer to the Svetambaras in the records after 11th century A.D. It is indeed a surprise to note that no Svetambara sculpture is found so far in Andhra.